Wrongly Convicted Database Record

 

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Wanda Carney

 

Charge:

Obstruction of Justice

Sentence:

120 days of home confinement and 200 hours of community service

Years Imprisoned:

0.33

Year Crime:

2005

Year Convicted:

2006

Year Cleared:

2008

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

West Virginia

County or Region of Crime:

Mingo

City of Crime:

Matewan

Result:

Judicially Exonerated

Summary of Case:

"Wanda Carney was co-defendant of Betty Jarvis. Both women were convicted by a jury in 2006 of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit obstruction. for independently investigating a fire and murder involving friends of the women. Jarvis was a former member of the Kanawha County Board of Education, and Carney was the founder of a watchdog group West Virginia Wants To Know. The women were sentenced to 120 days of home confinement, 200 hours of community service, and ordered to enroll in a college course on criminal justice or criminal procedure. The women's appeal was accepted by the West Virginia Supreme Court and on April 25, 2008 it overturned their convictions on the basis the prosecution failed to introduce sufficient evidence to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Carney and Jarvis filed a lawsuit against the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) for damages of the money they lost as a result of their prosecution, including their home confinement and attorney fees. In June 2008 a Kanawha County judge denied a motion to dismiss by the West Virginia State Police, ruling the agency was not immune from being sued. In July 2014 the Virginia Court of Claims awarded Carney $48,000 and Jarvis $57,000."

Conviction Caused By:

Innocence Proved By:

"The West Virginia Supreme Court overturned their convictions on April 25, 2008."

Defendant Aided By:

Compensation Awarded:

"$48,000 (State of Virginia, July 2014)"

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

Age When Released:

Sex:

Female

Skin/Ethnicity:

White

Information Source 1:

"State of West Virginia v. Carney, State of West Virginia v. Jarvis, No. 33522 (WV Sup Ct, 04-25-2008)"

Information Location 1:

http://www.courtswv.gov/supreme-court/docs/spring2008/33522.htm

Information Source 2:

"Judge Rules Lawsuit Against WVSP Can Move Forward, WSAZ Chnl 3 (Charleston, WV), June 18, 2009"

Information Location 2:

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/48186137.html

Information Source 3:

"A Legal Lesson for Pair Accused of Interfering in Mingo Murder Investigation, by Martin Staunton, The State Journal (Charleston, WV), October 23, 2006"

Information Location 3:

http://statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=15388

Information Source 4:

"Court awards women accused in case, By Andrea Lannom (Staff), Charleston Gazette-Mail, July 27, 2014"

Information Location 4:

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/cops_and_courts/court-awards-women-accused-in-case/article_5ccaf5f1-1dec-5dea-b2e4-ae4ae6b322df.html

Information Source 5:

Information Location 5:

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Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org

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